France: Modèle 1914 Equipment d'Infanterie de Sangles

Belts, Braces, & Straps

BELT, WAIST
CEINTURON

belt fullThe Waist belt is manufactured from flat-loop belting. It is not known whether Le Coton Filé had the looms to do this. More probably materials were supplied from the Mills Woven Cartridge Belt Company, as the Mills Equipment Company must have been rather busy at the time! Closed with a “loop and olivet” buckle, it is adjusted each side with the usual “C” hooks in a brass tip, which covers the cut end of the webbing. The use of solid rivets, rather than Mills standard shell rivets, lends credence to final assembly with French resources. Brass slides (missing on Simon's example) are fitted on each side of the buckle, giving this the appearance of a Patt. ’25 Belt, waist, adjustable, other than the rivetting method. This example is dated 1914 and is from the Simon Braillon Collection. Photographs © Simon Braillon 2010.

 

buckledetailTwo more details of the Belt shown at left above. Far left, a detail showing the loop and olivet buckle. Near left, stamping on the belt, showing a clear 1914 date in the typical French cartouche of the period. Other than the date KW have not yet been able to decipher the markings.

 

 

 

frontrearAnother example of this type of Belt, this one from the Eric Baradon Collection. Photographs © Eric Baradon 2010.

 

 

 

 

BRACES
BRETELLES DE SUSPENSION

brace 1brace 1 2The Belt is supported by Braces and, being reduction-woven, it is thought that these would be supplied from the U.S.A.. The Braces attach to a pair of Ammunition pouches in front and a third Pouch at the rear of the Belt. French practice with Mle.1893 leather equipment was a “Y” brace form and this was reproduced in webbing, with the junction point of the three straps being to a brass ring. The example at left has had the third strap removed.

 

 

 

brace 2A second form of Braces has brass eyelets set into all three straps, in which the standard twisted hook is inserted, for attachment to the twisted wire loops on leather cartridge pouches. It is felt that this is a later addition, in order to create interchangeability between web and older leather pouches. Both sets of Braces shown in this section are from the Eric Baradon Collection, photographs © Eric Baradon 2010.

 

 

 

Rog Dennis, August 2010